Railroad-crossing.



R. P. HITT.

RAILROAD CROSSING. APPLmATIpN FILED FEB. 27, 1912.

1,049,861 M Patented Jan. 7, 1913.

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5 vwe wtoz R. F. HITT.

RAILROAD CROSSING.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 27, 1912. 1,049, 61, I v Patented Jan.7,1913.

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RICHARD F. HITT, OF OI-IAMPAIGN, ILLINOIS.

' RAILROAD-CROSSING.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, RICHARD F. HITT, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Champaign, in the county of Champaign and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Railroad-Crossings, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is an improved railroad crossing by means of which the train wheels are derailed and carried over the joints at the crossing and prevented from dropping at the rail ends, wearing the ends of the, ra ls at the crossing, jolting the cars and producing unpleasant noises, the invention embodying angularly movable elements having transverse trackways to aline with the rails of one of the tracks when said elements I are in one position and longitudinal trackways to aline with the rails of another track when said elements are in another position, as hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved railroad crossing of this type in which the movable elements which derail the train wheels and carry them smoothly over the crossing may be operated either by a cam worked by the engine wheels at a country crossing or from a tower near the crossing or may be operated by a keeper stationed at the crossing.

In the accompanying drawings :Figure 1 is a plan of a railroad crossing constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is partly an elevation and partly averticaltransverse sectional view on the plane indicated by the line aa of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is partly an elevation at right angles to Fig. 2, and partly a sectional view on the plane indicated by the line b--b of Fig. 1.

In the construction of my improved railroad crossing, I provide a bed 1, which is preferably made of steel. and is set in a concrete foundation 2. The bed 1 carries rail ends 3 which aline with one of the tracks and also carries rail ends 4 which aline with the other or .crossing track, the rails 3 and 4 of the respective tracksbeing at an angle, usually at right angles with respect to one another. The bed 1 is provided in its upper side with semi-cylindrical recesses 5 in which are mounted cylindrical movable blocks 6, the upper halves of the said blocks projecting above the surface of the bed. In the embodiment of the invention here shown, the bed and the foundation are provided Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 7,1913. Application filed February 27, 1912. Serial No. 680,175. i

also with openings 7 for the reception and be turned in the recesses or sockets in the upper side of the bed and are arranged for simultaneous movement. The space between the cylindrical blocks is covered by rail members 10 on the upper side of the bed,

the said rail. members being arranged in line with the rail ends 8 and constituting a portion of one of the tracks.

, The angularly movable cylindrical blocks are provided with transverse trackways 11 which when the said movable blocks are turned to a position to arrange said trackways horizontally, exactly register and aline with the rail vniembers 310 of one of, the

tracks. The ends of the said rail' members which are opposed to the movable blocks are reversely curved as shown in Fig. 2, and overhang the upper sides of the said movable blocks so that the spaces between the said rail members and the said blocks and at the trackways 11 are practically closed. Hence, when a train proceeding on the track of which the members 3 and 10 are a part passes over and across the movable members 6, by the engagement of the transverse trackways 11 of the said movable members, the wheels of the train are entirely relieved from the track at the crossing and are carried solely by the said movable blocks so that the train is enabled to pass the crossing noiselessly and without its wheels pounding the ends of the crossing rails.

The angularly movable blocks are also, in accordance with my invention, provided with longitudinal trackways or grooves 12 which extend from end to end thereof and are arranged to one side of and out of alinement with the transverse trackways 11. These trackways 12 may be turned, by the partial rotation of the movable blocks into alinement with the rails of the track 4. This is done whena train on the track 4 approaches the crossing and, hence, the wheels of the train on the said track 4 pass the crossing entirely on the blocks 6 and by engaging the trackways or grooves 12 thereof. Hence, the said blocks serve the purposes of track rails for the track .4 at the crossing, and carry the train wheels noiselessly over the crossing and prevent the train wheels from striking the ends of the track rails when going over the crossing as will be understood.

It will also be understood that when the trackways 12 which are transverse of the movable blocks are in line with the rail members 3 and 10 of one of the tracks, the longitudinal trackways 12 of the said blocks are out of line with the rails of the track 4:, it being only necessary to appropriately turn the movable blocks when a train approaches the crossing.

lVhile I have herein shown and described a form of my invention which I now consider a preferred form thereof, I would have it understood that changes may be made in the form, proportion and construction of the several parts without departing from the spirit of my invention and within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim 1. A railway crossing comprising a bed, cylindrical blocks mounted on the bed for partial revoluble or angular movement and provided with transverse trackways and also with longitudinal trackways out of line with said transverse trackways, means connecting said cylindrical blocks for simultaneous movement, and rail members on the bed, arranged in line with the transverse trackways of said blocks, and having their ends rounded, concentrically with said blocks and overhanging the same.

2. A railway crossing of the class described comprising a bed having parallel semi-cylindrical recesses in its upper side, cylindricalhlocks having their lower sides mounted in said recesses and arranged to be turned therein, the said cylindrical blocks being provided with transverse trackways to aline with the rails of a track and being also provided with longitudinal trackways, out of line with the said transverse trackways, to aline with the rails of another track, according to the position of the said cylindrical blocks.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

RICHARD F. HITT.

Witnesses:

J. H. ZEARING, H. L. ENDICOTT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of latents, Washington, D. G. 

